Smoke consumer and fuel economizer



2 Shets-Sheet 1 F. A. PENBERTHY Filed Jan. 26, 1927 SMOKE CONSUMER ANDFUEL ECONOMIZER Jan. 7, 1930.

Jan. 7, 1930.

F. A. PENB ERTHY SIOKE CONSUMER AND FUEL ECONOMIZER 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

Filed Jan. 26. 1927 o 0 o' o o o o 0 v '82, 9M v 3 I 7 Patented Jan. 7,1930 was? eFFicE FRANK A. PENBERTHY, OE CANTON, OHIO SMOKE CON SUMER ANDFUEL ECONOMIZER Application filed January 25', 1327. Serial No. 163,591.

My invention relates to smoke consumers and fuel economizers moreparticularly for use in connection with boilers fired with solid fuelssuch as coal and the like.

A major difiiculty in connection with the operation of such boilers hasbeen an inability to positively and continuously control the combustionof the fuel under the boiler and in the firebox and combustion chamber,so

6 that the fuel will continuously and economically burn with maximum.combustion efficiency and minimum eduction of smoke from the chimney.

Not only from thestandpoint of efiiciency and economy of boileroperatiombut also from the social standpoint particularly in crowdedcommunities, it is desirable to control the eduction of smoke from thechimneys of boiler furnaces, and in some localities laws are in effectregulating the character of smoke which will be permitted to be givenoff by a chimney.

From the standpoint of combustion, it is well known that the fuel bed inthe firebox of a. boiler furnace of the usual type, educes into thefirebox a quantity of combustible gases and soot which are notcompletely burned in the firebox, nor under usual conditions in thefurnace combustion chamber with which the firebox usually communicatesover a bridge wall, 7

These unburned combustible gases and the soot suspended therein form theobjectionable smoke which issues in varying degrees from the chimneys ofboiler furnaces, and the like.

It is also well known that combustion of anysort requires, first, thatthe combustible matter be heated to its combustion temperathe necessaryquantity of oxygen for this combustion. s Q

There'is usually available in the firebox of a boiler furnace, asuflicient total quantity of oxygen, as a component of the air, tosupport the combustion of the gases and soot, but the ordinary movementof the gases and soot through the firebox overthe bridge Wall andthrough the combustion chamber is such that part of the same never comesin contact with air, the air and the combustible gases, and soot passingthrough the firebox and combustion chamber more or less in stratifiedlayers. In order to completely burn the combustible gases and soot,which will constitute smoke if they are not burned before issuing fromthe chimney, it is necessary that they be rapidly, thoroughly, andcontinuously heated totheir combustion temperature and rapidly,thoroughly, and continuously intimately mixed with the proper quantityof air, preferably as soon after the combustible gages and soot arisefrom the fuel bed as possi e.

' The objects of the-present invention are to provide an apparatusadaptable for use in connection with substantially any well known typeof boiler, and which will consume smoke and thereby economize fuelbyautomatically and continuously maintaining in the firebox andcombustion chamber of the boiler furnace an. intimate mixture of theaforesaid combustiblegases and soot educed from the fuel bed with properquantity of air and heated to the necessary temperature to supportcombustion thereo Y These objects are attained by a construc- I tion andarrangementwhic'h maybe stated in general terms as including, first, awhirler nozzle directed over the fuel bed in the 'furnace firebox underthe boiler or the like, and delivering whirling superheated steam intothe-firebox whereby the combustible gases and soot arising from the fuelbed are simultaneously whirled and mixed with the air normally flowingthrough the firebox by the operation of the boiler furnace draft device,and heated to the proper combustion temperature; second, an aperturedbridge wall between the firebox and the combustion chamber, whereby anysmoke which may still remain, is

' broken up in passing from the firebox to the heated with the airnormally passingthrough the combustion chamber,so that practicallycombustion chamber; and, third, means for injecting superheated steaminto the combustion chamber preferably immediately adjacent the bridgewall, whereby the broken up smoke which has passed from the firebox tothe combustionchamber through the apertured' bridge wall is agitated,mixed, and

complete combustion of thesmoke is ob-' tained. I

-.A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is alongitudinal vertical cross section illustrating the improved smokeconsumer and fuel 'economizer in connection with a fire tube boilerinstallation, as on line 1-f-1,

Fig. 2, a horizontal cross section thereof as on line 2-2, Fig. 1;Figp3, a fragmentary detailed horizontal cross section, of theimprovedwhirler nozzle as'on line 3 3, Figs.'1 and 2;

Fig. 4, an enlargedfragmentary cross sectional view similar to Fig. 1 ofa preferred form of superheater for the improved dev ce;

. and

j Fig. 5, an enlarged fragmentary top lan view of the superheater'as online 55, 4, illustrating the plurality of orifices in the top pipethereof for delivering superheated steam into thefurnace combustionchamber.

. resting upon a suitable foundation 7, and the is divided'by animproved bridge wall 9 manner u walls may furthermore support a suitablerefractory arch cover 8 for'the boiler.

' A furnace enclosure is thus formed bythewalls rising from the.foundation and; provided with the arch cover, and thisenclosure properlyspaced therein between the back wall 5 and the front wall 6, to form afirebox 10-and an improvedcombustion chamber 11 beneath the boiler Gratebars 12 ma be supported in a usual 11 suita le ledges secured at theopposite aces of the bridge wall and the front wall, and forming a grateupon which the fuel bed 13 is carried,- and through which bashes maydrop to the ash pit '14; below the The" front wall 6 of the settingmaybe provided with one or more ofthe usual firing doors 15 and ashremoving doors 16. Excepting for the improved bridge wall 9, the detailsof which will presently be described, the foregoing boiler and settingis typical of fire tube boilers; and in general is typical of allboilers and their settings which usually include, in combination withthe boiler, furnace walls forming a firebox and a combustion chamber. V

As best illustrated in Fig. 2, the improved bridge wall 9 separating thefirebox from the combustion chamber, extends between the side walls3'and 4 of the setting upward from the foundation 7 substantially to thefire line of the boiler.

The bridge wall 9 is provided with a relaf tively wide central notch 17at its upper end directly beneaththe boiler shell 18, and is furtherprovided with a plurality of spaced smoke breaking apertures 19 arrangedin the bridge wall in rows upwardly from the upper lezvel of the gratebars and around the notch 1 a 'I V The notch 17 preferably has a lowerhori-' zontal face 20 and parallel vertical side faces 21 and 22merging'with the upper peripheral faces 23. and 24 of the bridge wall.

Abovethe intersection of the notch side faces 21 and 22 with the bridgeWall peripheral faces 23 and 24, the bridge wall is .preferablyimperforate, forming in effect side curtain walls 2 5 and 26.

A superheater 27 is provided in the combustion chamber preferablyimmediately adjacent the apertures 19in the bridge wall, steam' fromthe-boilerbeing delivered to the superheater through a suitable pipeline 28 in. which, preferably adjacent the firing door 15 a-suitablecontrol valve 291is located, and superheated steam from thesuperhe'ater; is

through a suitable pipe line 31 likewise provided preferably adjacentthe valve 29 with a superheated steam control valve 32. I

The upper pipe 33 of the superheater is delivered to the improvedwhirlernozzle 3O preferably provided with a plurality of spaced orifices34.. for delivering superheated steam therefrom into the combustionchamber 11 preferably immediately adjacent the bridge wall 9.

The whirler nozzle 30 is preferably directed into the fire box 10 abovethe fuel bed 13 and is adapted for delivering whirling superheated steaminto the fire box 1001? the furnace above the fuel bed* I Theconstructionof the nozzle 30 by which the same delivers whirlingsuperheated steam into the fire box is best illustrated in Fig. 4. Thenozzle 30 includes connected upon the end of the pipe line 31, acylinder 35 forming a steam chamber 36 which receives superheated steamfrom the pipe line 31, and the outer end 37 of which is closed by an.orificed plug 38 having aiplurality of angled and intersectingpassageways 39, 40, and/11 therein providing means for impinging aplurality of angled jets of superheated steam upon each other, wherebythe variations in the velocity heads of the several impinging jets setup a whirling motion in the several jets beyond their intersection, anda plurality of jets of whirling turbulent superheated steam is deliveredinto the fire box of the furnace from the steam chamber 36.

The intense heat generated in the firebox and combustion chamber,necessitates that the bridge wall 9 be made of very efficient refractorymaterial, and a preferred construction for the bridge wall includesbuilding up the same of relatively large masses of plastic refractoryclay, the apertures 19 being formed by laying ross-wise in the wall,lengths of pipe which if made of iron will burn out when the plasticwall is subject in position to the action of the heat generated in thefurnace, leaving the desired apertures in the refractory bridge wall.

The improved smoke consumer and fuel economizer thus described in detailis operated as follows:

A burning fuel bed 13 is provided in the firebox upon the grate in ausual manner, and the hot gases therefrom generate steam in the boiler1, part of which steam is lead from the boiler through the pipe line 28into the superheater 27 in the combustion chamber 11 immediatelyadjacent the apertures 19 in the bridge wall 9.

The superheater is heated by the hot gases passing through the apertures19 in the bridge wall 9 and over the notch 17 therein, wherebysuperheated steam is formed in the superheater, part of which isdelivered into the combustion chamber 11 through the plurallty oforifices 34 in the top pipe of the superheater, and the major portion ofwhich 1s delivered to the pipe line 31 and to the whirler nozzle 30, theintersecting passageways89, 40 and 41 of the nozzle imparting a rapidlywhirling motion to the superheated steam issuing from the nozzle, anddelivers this whirling superheated steam from the nozzle 30 into thefirebox 10 over the fuel bed.

This rapidly whirling superheated steam continuously impinges againstthe combustible gases and soot suspended thereln which be rising fromthe fuel bed, and the whirling superheated steam simultaneously heats asubstantial part of the gases and soot to thelr combustion temperatures,and at the same time by the whirling motion intimately names the gasesand soot with the necessary air to support combustion thereof.

This process is necessarily carried on at a relatively rapid rate, andin the event that complete combustion of the gases and soot has nottaken place in the firebox, with the resulting formation of some smoke,this smoke is broken up as it passes through the apertures 19, in thebridge wall 9 and is again mixed with'air and brought to its'combustiontemperature by the superheated steam introduced in the combustionchamber through the orifices 34.

The combined action of the whirler nozzle 30 simultaneously heating totheir combus-. tion temperatures combustiblegases and soot rising fromthe fuel bed, and mixing the same with quantities of air necessary forthe combustion thereof, together with the breaking up of any smoke whichmay still be formed in the firebox by the action of the apertured bridgewall as the smoke passes through the same, and the final heating of thebroken up smoke and air entering the combustion chamber by thesuperheated steam delivered into the combustion chamber by thesuperheater, provides for almost complete combustion of the availablecombustible material in the solid fuel in the fuel bed.

l/Vhen properly operated by suitable manipulation of the valves 29 and32, the device enables almost perfect combustion of solid, fuel in theboiler furnace, with an eduction of smoke from the furnace chimney whichis well within the limits prescribed by most smoke control laws.

In a single boiler installation the use of the aforesaid device saved 4tons of coal per week, as compared with the operation of the boilerwithout the present smoke consumer and fuel economizer.

I claim:

1. Combustion apparatus including a firebox, combustion chamber, and abridge wall between the firebox and the combustion chamber, a pluralityof apertures in the bridge wall, asuperheater in the combustion chamber,a whirler nozzle directed into the firebox and in'communication with thesuperheater, and an orifice in the superheater directed into thecombustion chamber.

2. Combustion apparatus including a firebox, a combustion chamber, and abridge wall between the firebox and the combustion chamber, a pluralityof apertures in the bridge wall, a boiler operatively associated withthe combustion chamber, a superheater in the combustion chambercommunicating with the boiler, a whirler nozzle directed into thefirebox and communicating with the superheater, and an orifice in thesuperheater directed into the combustion chamber.

- 3. In combination with the furnace of a boiler and the like, includinga firebox, a bridge wall and a combustion chamber, means including anozzle having a plurality of intersecting passageways for deliveringwhirling superheated steam into the firebox, a plurality of apertures inthe bridge wall, and means for delivering superheated steam into thecombustion chamber.

4. Combustion apparatus including a fire-- box, a combustion chamber,and a bridge wall between the firebox and the combustion chamber, meansincluding a nozzle having a plurality of intersecting passageways fordelivering whirling superheated steam into the firebox, a plurality ofapertures in the bridge Wall, and means'for delivering superheated steaminto the combustion chamber. V

5. In combination with the furnace of, a

I boiler and the like, including a firebox, a bridge wall, and acombustion chamber,

means including a nozzle having a plurality ofintersccting passagewaysfor delivering whirling steam into the firebox, a plurality of aperturesin the bridge wall, and means for delivering steam into the combustionchamber.

6. Combustion apparatus including afirebox, a combustion chamber, and abridge wall between the firebox and the combustion chamber, meansincluding a nozzle having a the firebox after the intersection thereof,a

plurality of interecting passageways for deliveri-ng whirling steam intothe firebox, a plurality of apertures in the bridge wall, and means fordelivering steam into the combustion chamber.

7. In combination with the furnace of a boiler and the like, includin afirebox, a bridge wall, and a combustion chamber, means for intersectinga lurality of jets of superheated steam and elivering jets into thefirebox after the intersection thereof, a

plurality of apertures in the bridge wall, and means for deliveringsuperheated steam into thel combustion chamber adjacent the bridge wa l.

8. Combustion apparatus including a firebox, a combustion chamber, andabridge wall between the firebox and the combustion chamber, means'forintersecting a plurality of jets of superheated steam and deliveringjets into the firebox after the intersection thereof, a

plurality of apertures in the bridge wall, and means for deliveringsuperheated steam into the combustion chamber adjacent the bridge wall.

9. In combination with the furnace of a boiler and the like, including afirebox, a bridge wall, and a combustion chamber,

bridge wall, and a combustion chamber,

means including a nozzle having a plurality r i a plurality of jets ofsuperheated steam an delivering jets into the firebox after theintersection thereof, a lurality of apertures in the bridge wall, andmeans for delivering superheated steam into the combustion chamberadjacent the bridge wall.

12. Combustion apparatus including 'a firebox, a combustion chamber, anda bridge wall between the firebox and the combustion chamber, meansincluding a nozzle having a plurality of intersecting passageways forintersecting a plurality of jets ofsuperheated steam and delivering jetsinto the firebox after the intersection thereof, a' plurality ofapertures in the bridge wall, and means for delivering superheated steamintov the C011]- bustion chamber adjacent the bridge wall. 13. Incombination with the furnace of a boiler and the like, including afirebox, a

bridge wall, and a' combustion chamber, means includlng a nozzlehaving'a plurality of intersecting passageways for'intersecting aplurality'of jets ofsuperheated steam and I delivering jets. into thefirebox after the intersection thereof, a plurality of apertures in thebridge wall, and means for. de ivering steam into the combustion chamberadjacent the bridge wall. v V

14. Combustionapparatus including a firebox, a combustion chamber, and abridge wall between the firebox and the combustion chamber, meansincluding a nozzle having a plurality of intersecting passageways forintersecting a plurality of jets o'f'superheated In testimony that Iclaim the above,'I have .hereunto subscribed my name. 7 i

. FRANK A. PENBERTHY.

means for intersecting a plurality of jets of plurality of apertures inthe bridge wall, and means for delivering steam into the combustionchamber adjacentthe bridge wall.

10. Combustion apparatus incluing a firebox, a combustion chamber, and abridge wall between the firebox and the combustion chamber, means forintersecting a plurality of jets of superheated steam and deliveringjets into the firebox after the intersection i hereof, a plurality ofapertures in the bridge wall, and means for delivering steam into thecombustion chamber adjacent the bridge wall.

11. In combination with the furnace of a boiler and the, like, includinga firebox, a

